Fast-growing Viking Ocean Cruises unveils 10 new itineraries
Add South America and Cuba to the list of destinations served by fast-growing Viking Ocean Cruises.
The 14-month-old line has announced plans for 11-day voyages out of San Juan, Puerto Rico in 2017 and 2018 that will include stops in Cartagena and Santa Maria, Columbia, and Venezuela’s capital, Caracas -- Viking's first foray into South America.
Also new for 2017 will be an eight-day voyage out of Miami to the Western Caribbean that includes a two-day stop in Havana, Cuba -- another first for the line.
Viking also plans a 22-day voyage out of San Juan in December 2017 that features a sailing into the mouth of the Amazon River in Brazil.
The trips are among 10 new itineraries that Viking is planning for 2017 and 2018 as it rapidly grows its fleet to five ships. Also new on the schedule: Two-week voyages from Bergen, Norway to Barcelona that include stops in The Netherlands, France, England, Portugal and Spain.
Viking also plans two-week cruises from New York to San Juan that mix a stop in Bermuda with visits to the Caribbean islands of Guadeloupe, St. Kitt’s, St. Martin and St. Thomas.
As previously announced, Viking also plans an epic, 141-day world voyage starting in December 2017 -- another first for the line. The voyage will take place on the still-under-construction Viking Sun, a 930-passenger ship scheduled to debut in late 2017.
Viking currently operates just two ships, the 14-month-old Viking Star and just-unveiled Viking Sea. A third Viking vessel, Viking Sky, arrives is scheduled to arrive in early 2017. Viking Sun will be the line's fourth ship with a fifth vessel due in 2018.
Specializing in destination-oriented voyages on relatively small, stylish ships, Viking Ocean Cruises is a sister company to Viking River Cruises, which is the largest player in river cruises for North Americans.
Paste BN Cruise in April got early access to the Viking Sea. For our first-look tour of the vessel, scroll through the carousel at the top of this story. Scroll through the carousel below a look inside the Viking Star.